Melania's Stylist Has Earned $370,000 In Consulting Fees From Trump Super PAC Since 2022
Melania Trump's former stylist has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Donald Trump-supported political action committee (PAC) Save America over the past two years.
According to its Federal Election Commission (FEC) filing, Hervé Pierre Braillard received a total of $371,000 in consulting fees from the Trump super PAC since April 2022, with $100,000 coming in the last six months of 2023 alone, according to the Daily Mail.
The filing revealed that the former first lady's ex-stylist was compensated $18,000 per month for "strategy consulting" from July to December 2023.
The fashion designer also got an additional $2,500 from the PAC in December.
It remains unclear precisely what Pierre's role entails, as FEC guidelines prohibit candidate committees from spending money on personal items, including clothing, USA Today noted.
But in August 2022, Pierre insisted that the payments he received from the super PAC were unrelated to fashion or services rendered during Melania's time as first lady.
In a statement to WWD, Pierre said that the compensation was not tied to fashion but to other post-White House special projects with Melania.
He noted that he shifted to interior design after the closure of his fashion business, Atelier Caito for Herve Pierre, in 2021 due to the pandemic.
Despite occasional consultations with the former first lady about her fashion choices, he noted that they comprise a small portion, perhaps as little as 5%, of his overall consulting work.
"As with every other first lady, there is an after the White House life, which involves many other aspects than fashion. I am lucky to have worked in prestigious houses, to have designed [costumes] for ballets and more recently to work in home decor. There are many upcoming projects in this after-the-White House [stage]," Pierre told WWD.
He continued, "It's a great honor for me, and it is very creative to give my viewpoint on some of these projects."
Melania also addressed the payments to Pierre at the time, with her office telling WWD: "Mr. Pierre is a world-renowned artist. His work extends to many different fields, not just fashion design. His expertise is utilized for special projects and events."
Meanwhile, Melania has been absent from her husband's side amid his 2024 presidential campaign.
The former first lady's absence from the campaign trail has prompted speculation, with some political experts suggesting she may be distancing herself and their teenage son Barron from Trump's legal troubles and scandals.
Grant Reeher, a political science professor at Syracuse University, told The Mirror last month that Melania appears to be shielding Barron from media scrutiny by avoiding active involvement in the campaign.
However, Trump recently told Fox News' Brian Kilmeade that Melania will "play" a role in his ongoing presidential bid, though she won't be as active as she was in his previous campaigns.
